This is Vol. 8 of a long series of releases of the complete Treasury Broadcasts from the mid-forties. The Duke Ellington Treasury Shows were first issued on 48 LPs in a private pressing back in the 60’s, and are now available on CD. It’s very lucky that these precious, well-recorded radio broadcasts have survived since the mid-40’s. They represent an important – yet elusive – period in the evolution of the U.S. as a whole and jazz in particular.

From the earliest days of the band, the Ellington Orchestra had ties to New England. On this double-CD compilation we hear fantastic performances from both the Duke and his Orchestra from Boston in July and August 1945.